Paris, April 11 - Before the first round of the French presidential in two week's time, Tibetans and Tibetan supporters have launched a consultation tour of the major presidential candidates, at the initiative of the "Solidarité Tibet" and "Tibetan Communauté of France", to gage their respective stance over the Tibet issue.

This morning, Mr. Jean Marc Brulé regional councillor of "Ile de France" and Thupten Gyatso, President of "the Tibetan Community of France" along with few French Tibet supporters were received by Madam Dominique VOYNET, presidential candidate, "Les Verts", the French green party, at her headquarters in Paris. She is a former French Minister of the environment and a senator at the National Assembly.

During the meeting, Madame Voynet, in her capacity of the Presidential candidate of her party, extended her political support to the Tibetan people's freedom struggle under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She said that the sole and legal representatives of Tibetan people should be invited in the French Parliament and also the next French President should officially receive His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She stressed that the conservation of Tibet's environmental is also a globally concern and a vital question because Tibet is the major source of rivers that feed millions of people in Asia.

The same afternoon, Mr. Thupten Gyatso and the French Tibet supporters met with Mr. Jack LANG, former Socialist minister for the Culture. He was the minister of National Education from 2000 to 2002. Mr. Jack Lang is the special advisor of Madame Ségolène Royal, another front runner in the upcoming elections.

During the interaction, Mr Jack Lang underlined that he has been very attentive and supportive when it comes to the Tibet question. He reminded to the visiting delegation that he had already met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the past and that he extends his support to the Tibetan people struggle for its political freedom.

Mr. Jack Lang said that His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be received officially at the Elysée Palace, the official residence of the French President, if Madam Ségolène Royal would become the next President of the French Republic because in the past, as he quoted that Mr Bill Clinton met with His Holiness a couple of times at the White House when he was President of United States of America. He assured his willingness to push forward the on going dialogue between the special envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Chinese authorities until they find mutually acceptable solution on the political future of the Tibetan people. Finally he added as human rights issue is one of the most important priority of Ségolène Royal and she wants to place it in the heart of her foreign policy that is why Socialist Party will continue to support to Tibetan people.

During this round of consultation, five French political Parties (Socialist Party, UDF, Les Verts, PCF and LCR) have cooperated with "Tibetan Community of France” and "Solidarité Tibet" Therefore we would like to extend all our profound gratitude through this message for their precious time and their support to the Tibet issue.